Moistening device



Oct. 17, 1961 A. C. HUMMEL MOISTENING DEVICE Filed June L6, 1958INVENTOR. /4/6usr 6. M/Mme'z.

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United States Patent 3,004,515 v MOISTENING DEVICE August C. Hummel, TheA. C. Hummel Co., Box 25, Pleasant Ridge Station, Cincinnati, ()hioFiledJune 16, 1958, Ser. No. 742,093 2 Claims. (Cl. 118270) .Thisinvention relates to moistening devices of the type used for moisteningadhesive coated paper labels, stamps, gummed tape and the like whereinthe surface to be moistened is wiped .across a water soaked moisteningmember. The instant application is a continuation-inpart of my copendingapplication Serial No. 580,154 filed April 5, 1956, now abandoned.

The instant invention is concerned with the provision of an inexpensivemoistening device intended primarily for home use. While numerousmoistening devices are currently available, the great bulk of them havebeen designed for oflice use and their cost is. well beyond that whichthe average home user is willing to pay. In addition, such moistenerspossess features which detract from their utility in the home. Generallyspeaking, they arerelatively heavy and bulky and hence difficult tocarry from place to place. Another disadvantage of such moisteners liesin the fact that the liquid receptacle has an open top, or is at bestonly partially covered, and if the receptacle is tipped over or evenmoved about, it is inevitable that a part at least of the moisteningliquid will be spilled.

It is, therefore a principal object of my invention to provide aninexpensive, light weight and essentially spill proof moistening devicewhich is readily adapted for use in the home.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a moistening devicecomprising a closed liquid receptacle having a tight fitting cover, thecover having an opening therein in which the moistening member is snuglyreceived, the arrangement of parts being such that the edges of thecover are in pinching engagement with the moistening member or spongewhen the latter is moisture laden.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a moistening deviceof the character described in which the tight fitting cover is providedwith a breather opening of small diameter, which opening permits air toenter into the receptacle to enhance the capillary action of themoistening member acting to draw the moistening liquid to its uppersurface. At the same time the relatively small breather opening does notinterfere with the essentially spill-proof character of the device.

The foregoing together with other objects of the invention which willappear hereinafter or which will be apparent to the skilled worker inthe art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by thatconstruction and arrangement of parts of which I shall describe anexemplary embodiment.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a moistening device made in accordance withmy invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper righthand portion of the moistening device as seen in FIGURE 2 illustratingthe pinching action of the cover or top member against the moisteningsponge.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the moistening device.

In the practice of my invention, the moistener is composed essentiallyof a liquid receptacle having a cupshaped bottom part and a top part orcover capable of 3,004,515 Patented Oct. 17, 196i making sealing contactwt-ih the walls of the body part. The top part has a rectangular openingtherein into which a-moistening member in the form of a rectangularblock of sponge-like material is fitted, the moistening member being ofa depth such that its lower end will project downwardly and seat on thebottom of the receptacle with its upper edge projecting upwardly beyondthe cover for contact by the gummed surface to be moistened. Thereceptacle and cover preferably formed from plastic materials, with thebottom part of a transparent material so that the water level may bereadily observed and the cover formed from a sufiiciently flexibleplastic material so that a tight locking engagement may be made betweenthe bottom and cover parts. While the device may be of my configurationdesired, I have found a relatively shallow circular receptacle having adepth slightly in excess of 1 inch and a diameter of approximately 4inches to be highly desirable in that it seats firmly on a table top orthe like and is difficult to tip over.

The moistening member itself is preferably formed from a commerciallyavailable rubber or cellulose sponge material which may be obtained insheet or mat form and cut to size. In the preferred embodiment, thesponge material is cut into blocks of approximately 1 /2 inches depth, 1inch in width, and a length of 2 /2 inches.

Referring now to the drawings, I have therein illustrated a preferredembodiment of my invention wherein the moistening device comprises abottom part or receptacle 1 having an upstanding annular wall 2terminating upwardly in an outwardly directed flanged lip 3. Thereceptacle or bottom part 1 is closed by a cover member 4 having adownwardly projecting annular flange 5 and a shoulder 6 which is adaptedto seat against the flanged lip 3 to make resilient sealing contacttherewith, in the manner best seen in FIGURE 3. Preferably, the cover 4will be of slightly dome-shaped configuration, as will be readilyapparent in FIGURES 2 and 3.

A rectangular opening 7 is formed in the cover 4, the edges of theopening being essentially straight and efiective, as will be explainedmore fully hereinafter, to make pinching contact with the moisteningmember or sponge 8.

The moistening member 8 will be of a size, when dry to just nicely fitin the opening 7 with its sides in snug contact therewith. As alreadyindicated and as illustrated in the drawings, the dimensions of themoistening member are such that its lower surface will contact thebottom wall of the moistener with its upper surface projecting upwardlybeyond the cover member by something in the nature of 4 inch. As themoistening member takes on water it tends to swell, this swelling beingindicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings by dotted lines and indicated bythe reference numerals 9. The swelling action of the moistening memberserves to form a seal about the opening with the sides of the opening inefiect pinching into the sponge in the manner best seen FIGURE 3. Thispinching action will eflectively prevent the moistening liquid fromleaking out even when the moistener is -accidentally overturned. At thesame time, the surface tension of the liquid in the saturated moisteningmember is sufficient to prevent the liquid from dripping from themember, and consequently the device is rendered both drip proof andspill proof. Since the liquid saturated and expanded moistening membereffectively seals the opening in the top of the moistener, a breatheropening 10 having a inch diameter is provided in the cover 4. Thisopening permits free capillary action of water or other moisteningliquid rising to the top of the sponge. It has been found that withoutthis breather opening the exposed portion of the sponge projecting fromthe cover has a tendency to dry out. At the same time, the size device.

of the breather opening is such that water will not spill fro-m it whenthe device is moved about, and even when inserting a finger between anend of the moistening memher and the end of the opening 7, therebycompressing the member lengthwise and creating an opening of a sizesuflicient to permit the device to be placed under a water faucet or thelike. Upon release of the moistening member it will expand and reassumeits initial position.

The moistening device just described also possesses another featurewhich is highly desirable in a moistening This feature is the completefreedom of the moistening member or sponge from objectionable odorswhich are generally present after moistening devices have been in usefor some time. These odors generally res t from glue particles and thelike which are entrapped in the moistening member during use. While itis difficult to attribute the elimination of these odors to any onesource, it is apparently the result of the enhanced capillary actionwhich occurs by reason of the particular construction employed, whichresults in a washing action tending to keep the upper part of the spongefreshly supplied with moistening liquid.

Modifications may, of course, be made in the invention without departingfrom the spirit of it. While I prefer to form the receptacle and coverfrom plastic material since they are not only inexpensive but alsosusceptible to formation in various colors for decorative efiects, thereceptacle could be formed of other materials such as aluminum.Similarly, while I have described the moistening member or sponge asbeing of rectangular configuration, it will be evident that other shapescould be employed if so desired.

Having thus described my invention is an exemplary embodiment, what Idesire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A moistening device having a bottom part and a separate cover part,said bottom part consisting of a receptacle having a bottom andintegrally formed upstanding walls, said walls terminating upwardly inan enlanged outwardly projecting annular lip, said cover part comprisinga cover wall terminating outwardly in a downturned peripheral flangehaving an inwardly directed shoulder engageable with the enlarged lip onsaid receptacle to form a seal therewith, one at least of said partsbeing formed from a distortable material such that a water-tight sealmay be effected between said parts upon engagement of said inwardlydirected shoulder with said annular lip, an opening in said cover part,said opening having relatively thin inwardly directed peripheral edges,and a sponge-like moistening member snugly fitted in said opening, saidmoistening member being of a size to completely fill said opening and ofa depth such that its lower surface seats on the bottom of saidreceptacle with its upper surface projecting upwardly beyond the openingin said cover part, said sponge-like member being adapted to swell uponsaturation with moistening liquid, whereby the relatively thinperipheral edges of said opening will make pinching contact with thesides of said spongelike moistening member, and a breather opening insaid cover member through which air may enter the otherwise closedreceptacle to enhance the capillary action of the moistening member.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein said opening is of rectangularconfiguration, and wherein said breather opening is of approximately biinch in diameter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS950,178 Jordan et a1. Feb. 22, 1910 1,469,695 Pulson Oct. 2, 19231,742,548 Leal Jan. 7, 1930 1,891,110 Petranovich Dec. 13, 19322,105,393 Avery Ian. 11, 1938 2,399,400 Snelling Apr. 30, 1946 2,482,989Mussett Sept. 27, 1949 2,490,650 Reckler Dec. 6, 1949 2,658,474Sengbusch Nov. 10, 1953 2,752,069 Welsh n June 26, 1956

